


We Met in A Courtyard

by lastyoungrene_gay_de



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Royal guards - Freeform, Royalty, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:22:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29113731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastyoungrene_gay_de/pseuds/lastyoungrene_gay_de
Summary: Royalty AU. Prince Klaus' relationship with a certain guard over the years.
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Comments: 19
Kudos: 44
Collections: EnKlave Fest 2021





	We Met in A Courtyard

**Author's Note:**

> hi im a bitch for a royal au so when i saw this on the prompt list i HAD to claim it

  
  


Klaus watched the young guard curiously. He was new, no doubt about that, both because of how young he looked and the fact that Klaus had never seen him before. However, he wasn’t distracted like other new guards usually are, especially in this station. 

Klaus was standing, trying to remain hidden from the guard’s view, in an archway that served as the only entrance to the small, hidden courtyard he used to escape from his family as often as possible. The huge gaggle of siblings connected by either sharing a father or awkwardly left behind by marriages broken by questionable accidents became overwhelming. Sometimes he just needed to escape to the half-dead courtyard with a sketchbook or canvas. 

After staring at the new man- or boy, maybe, he appeared to be in his late teens or early twenties, around Klaus’ age- for a few minutes, Klaus finally straightened his hunched shoulders and stepped into the courtyard. The guard seemed surprised anyone would choose to spend time in this dry, browned, overgrown garden, straightening up to attention as his eyes snapped to the movement. Those same eyes widened when he recognized him. He adjusted his grip on his stupid ceremonial sword guards are required to have on duty. He opened his mouth a bit before quickly shutting it with an audible clack of his teeth, most likely when he remembered guards weren’t supposed to talk on duty. For any reason, not even to address royalty. 

Klaus ignored him and walked over to the small concrete bench next to where the guard was positioned. There were plenty of other benches, but that one felt right to Klaus. When he sat down, he opened his sketchbook, flipping past pages of drawings of the various dead or dying neglected plants in the courtyard, and started another one. 

  
  


The same new guard was there when Klaus returned a few days later. He smiled at him as he walked across the courtyard toward the same bench. That day he drew the new boy. It required him to look at him every few minutes, sometimes openly staring at him. The guard pretended not to notice. 

  
  


“Why are you the only guard that’s ever out here anymore?” Klaus asked on his third visit in a row when the new guard was on duty. The guard shifted uncomfortably. His eyes flicked over to Klaus but he stared straight ahead of him as he spoke. 

“Apparently, it’s a good starting position for young guards,” he said quickly. 

“Why?” Klaus asked, putting his elbow on his knee and resting his chin on his hand. 

“No one really knows this place is here.” 

“So they send you out here to learn how to do this for the same reason I come out here?” Klaus asked. The guard finally turned to look at him. 

“So you’re out here all the time because no one else comes here?” he asked. 

“With so many siblings  _ and _ a dad like mine, yeah I need some space sometimes,” Klaus said. The guard hummed thoughtfully in response. Klaus was sure he didn’t want to question his less than positive comment about his family. “What’s your name?” he added, tired of just thinking of him as ‘the guard’. 

“David,” he answered after a moment. “I like Dave, though.” 

Klaus nodded. “Alright, Dave,” Klaus said, pointedly shutting his sketchbook. “How the hell are you a guard at all? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of you guys so young.” 

“Connections,” Dave said, looking away again. “My dad’s been doing this my whole life. He’s been training me to do this for as long as I can remember.” 

“Is that why you’re so attentive on duty, can’t let dear ol’ dad down?” Klaus questioned. 

“What does that have anything to do with it?” Dave asked incredulously. 

“I’ve been here for years,” Klaus started and leaned back, putting both his hands on the bench behind him and putting all his weight on his arms. “And I have never seen a new guard as attentive as you. Hell, even the experienced ones slack off out here. But not-” he pointed at Dave and emphasized the last word-  _ “you.”  _

Dave pushed his shoulders back defensively. “Slacking off now creates a habit,” he said. “If I slack off now I’ll definitely do it later, and that could cost a lot.” 

“Lives?” 

“Yeah.” 

“God, they really did a number on you,” Klaus laughed. 

“With all due respect, Your Highness, please stop. It’s serious.” 

“Don’t start with all the  _ Your Highness _ crap,” Klaus said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “It’s all bullshit anyway.” 

“Well then, what  _ do _ I call you?”

“How about Klaus?” he asked, voice tinged with sarcasm. 

“Uh, I don’t know if I can do that,” Dave said carefully. 

“And I think you can, right  _ Dave?” _

“Sure,  _ Klaus.” _

Klaus smiled. “Good.” 

  
  


“Who’s your dad?” Klaus asked Dave a few visits later. 

“Huh?” Dave was slouched against a detailed, but faded, marble column. He’d grown more comfortable with Klaus over the weeks. He was still attentive and uptight when Klaus got to the courtyard, but when he was there he must have figured paying attention to him was still technically doing his job of protecting the royal family. 

“You said your dad’s been doing this your whole life, you think I’d know him?” Klaus asked. 

“I think that depends on how much attention to the guards,” Dave smirked. 

“I try my best,” Klaus said honestly. “I do get them mixed up, though.” 

“Oh, yeah,” Dave teased. “I’m sure you try.” 

“I get everyone mixed up!” Klaus defends. “I’m serious!” he added when Dave laughed at him. “Ask Diego or Ben, they’ll tell you. I get people mixed up all the time!” 

“Yeah, okay, whatever,” Dave laughed. 

“No, really, come on,” Klaus said. “Who is he?” 

“Okay,” Dave said, eyeing him as if he thought he was about to be proved right. “His name is Johnathan, he’s slowly been working his way up. He started on perimeter, advanced to entrances, then corridors, kitchens, and then chamber wings, and is now one of the guards positioned outside the king’s office and chambers.” 

“Ooh, ooh,” Klaus said, closing his eyes and snapping his finger. “I know him, I know him.” 

“Really?” Dave asked incredulously. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Klaus insisted. “Curly hair, scar on his cheek.”

“Yeah,” Dave said, clearly shocked Klaus actually knew who he was talking about. 

“Yeah, I think he pretty much just ends up following my dad around,” Klaus said. 

“Maybe,” Dave said. “He’d definitely be somewhere like that.” 

“Yeah.” 

They looked at each other, and Klaus watched something in Dave’s gaze change. He thought something in his probably changed as well, but neither of them said anything about it. 

  
  


“Pogo!” Klaus called through the corridor one day after spotting the head of the Royal Guard on his way to his study one day. He knew Pogo was very suspicious of him, and probably had good reason to be- Klaus would be the first to admit he was a huge pain in the ass sometimes- but he wanted to try. 

The short, stubby man turned when he heard the prince’s voice. “Yes, Your Highness?” he asked when his eyes landed on Klaus. 

“I want to talk to you about one of the new guards I’ve been seeing on duty for the past few weeks,” Klaus said, putting a little more effort into sounding formal. 

“Oh?” Pogo asked as one of his eyebrows raised. “Have you noticed a problem?” 

“No, no,” Klaus said quickly. “No, um, the exact opposite, actually.” 

“Oh?” 

“Yes, um, there’s a guard who has been on duty in the small courtyard at the edge of the palace.” 

“Oh,” Pogo said in understanding. “Yes, I believe I know the one.” 

“Yes, well, I believe his dedication to the job is being wasted out in the joke of a position in the courtyard,” Klaus said simply. Pogo raised the other eyebrow. 

“So you think,” Pogo asked slowly. “This particular guard should be moved to a more important position?” he finished, eyeing Klaus warily. 

“Yeah, I guess,” Klaus said with a shrug. “I just don’t think someone still so invested in all this should be out there where absolutely nothing happens.” 

“You go out there, don’t you?” Pogo asked as if he really thought he trapped Klaus in some kind of backwards logic. “Isn’t that something?” 

“I only get out there every once in a while,” Klaus said, shrugging off Pogo’s argument. “Why waste the potential with the only guy who seems to care that much?” 

Pogo looked at Klaus thoughtfully. Klaus looked back, not breaking eye contact. 

“Alright, Your Highness,” Pogo eventually said. “I’ll make note of your comment.” 

Klaus nodded. “Thank you.” 

And they simultaneously turned and walked in different directions. 

  
  


“Hey, if Pogo asks, you don’t talk to me,” Klaus said as he entered the courtyard for the first time since he spoke to him. 

“What?” Dave asked, eyes widening in concern. “Why?” 

“I may or may not have put in a good word about a specific, super dedicated new guard in the courtyard who can be trusted at a more important post,” Klaus said as he sat on his usual bench. Dave floundered a bit, opening and closing his mouth as he tried to figure out what to say. Klaus just gave him a small smile, though he knew it was a borderline smirk. 

“Wha- Are- are you serious?” he asked, eyes still wide. 

“Mm-hmm,” Klaus hummed. “So if he asks, say I annoy you and try to distract you while you’re on duty but you don't acknowledge me,” he instructed, jokingly pointing a finger at him. “Because he thinks I’m very annoying and will totally believe you, and it’ll make you look good.” 

“Klaus, are you sure?” Dave asked. 

“Yeah, are you kidding me?” he asked, looking up at him. “I’d rather have you somewhere that matters than half the guys out there now. They don’t give a shit.” 

Dave pursed his lips, but it was clearly in an attempt to hide his smile. “Thank you.” 

“Of course,” Klaus said. “But that does mean our fun little chats are going to come to an end soon.”

“Oh, no, whatever will I do?” Dave teased. 

“Hide it all you want,” Klaus said and pointed an accusing finger. “You’re gonna miss me.” 

“I don’t wanna hide it at all,” Dave said softly. “I  _ am _ gonna miss you.” 

Klaus tried to ignore the weird tightness in his chest as he thought he would too. 

  
  


The next time Klaus went to the courtyard, someone else was there. 

  
  


He still saw Dave around the castle every once in a while. Over the weeks and months, they saw each other a few times. Actually, it was more and more as time passed. Dave seemed to be moving up the ranks quickly. Klaus couldn’t help the little swell of pride in his chest as he watched his friend succeed. 

Time passed. A long time passed. Time where Dave’s shoulders grew broader and the lines of his face grew sharper. Klaus noticed. He hoped Dave noticed the way he grew enough to make his awkward, long limbs look natural and graceful. When all they did when they saw each other during that time was make acknowledging expressions and quick, sarcastic  _ ‘hello’ _ s. 

  
  


“Your  _ Highness.”  _

“Oh, whatever.” 

Klaus knew Dave was still smiling as he rolled his eyes. 

  
  


“Good afternoon.” 

“Is it really, though?” 

They’d gotten to speak, so it was.

  
  


“How’d a slacker like you get assigned to work the ball?”

“Apparently  _ someone _ believes in me.” 

“I wonder who that could be.” 

No amount of teasing could hide Klaus’ smile, though. 

  
  


“Nice dress.” 

“Isn’t the offices a rather high position for you?” 

Klaus had never seen such a young guard assigned such an important assignment before. He felt the bubble of pride in his chest again, though he wasn’t sure it was just happiness for his friend. 

  
  


It changed though, years later, when Klaus returned to his room one night, entire years after their meeting. As Klaus walked up the stairs to his chamber, he was able to ignore the burning in his thighs by thinking about his disappointment about not seeing Dave at all over the last few weeks. It  _ had _ been a hectic few weeks though, one of the neighboring countries was beginning to cause trouble and the Royal Guard had been busy preparing for whatever the paranoid king thought could happen next. 

He huffed and began to undo the laces on the back of his dress as he turned the corner in the corridor toward his room, but came to a stop when he processed the people waiting in front of his room. 

“Ahh, Your Highness,” Pogo said exasperatedly, as if they’d been waiting for him all day. “You’re finally here.” 

“It’s barely dark, Pogo,” Klaus griped and resumed walking toward them. “I don’t exactly have a curfew anymore.” 

“No, you don’t,” Pogo agreed. “But your father-” Klaus rolled his eyes at the words. “-is concerned for his children’s safety after the recent actions taken by our enemies. You and the rest of the royal children will be assigned royal guards to watch your quarters to ensure all of your safety.” He gestured toward the group of men waiting with him. Klaus didn’t fail to notice one of them was Dave. “You will have a main guard for the day and another for the night, and they will both stay with you the majority of the time. The remaining three will replace and trade places with the main two as needed,” he explained. “No one other than these five guards will ever be assigned to occupancy you unless there are drastic circumstances. In situations such as those, I will always be there to let you know and introduce you to the new guard. If anyone other than these five men try to tell you they are assigned as your guards but I am not there to confirm it, do not believe them and find someone else, like your siblings or a guard you  _ do _ recognize. Do not remain alone with the impostor.” 

“Gosh, Pogo,” Klaus mumbled. “Isn’t this going a little overboard?” 

“These precautions are believed to be the best option by both your father and I,” Pogo answered stiffly as if he’d rehearsed it. That told Klaus that Pogo didn’t think any of this was necessary either. 

“Alright, whatever you say,” he muttered under his breath and reached back for the laces of his dress again. He raised his chin to gesture to his door. “Can I go in now?”

“Yes, of course, Your Highness,” Pogo said and held his hand out in a sweeping gesture toward the door. “I’ll be leaving your main night guard at his position tonight and the rest of use will be on our way.” 

“Perfect,” Klaus said as the guards parted, giving him access to his bedroom door. He opened the door and entered his room, wondering which time position Dave would have. 

He changed out of his dress the best he could on his own, it took him a while and he got tangled up in it for a bit, but he eventually got out of it and pulled on a loose fitting shirt and simple pants and got ready to find Ben in his own room. He didn’t know exactly how attentive the guard was going to be, but when he saw Dave standing outside the door, he hoped he would be paying attention. 

“Hey stranger,” he said as he walked past him and down the hall to his brother’s room. Dave followed. “So, you’re the night guard in all this bullshit?” 

“Well, I wouldn’t call it bullshit, Your Highness-” Dave tried to say as they walked.

“Oh, don’t start with the  _ ‘Your Highness’ _ crap again,” Klaus cut him off and turned around to face him, walking backwards with his arms swinging at his sides. “We’ve been through this.” 

Dave chuckled before he said, “We aren’t exactly in the abandoned courtyard anymore. There are plenty of other people to hear us this time.” 

“So?” Klaus asked with a smirk. 

“I can actually get in serious trouble for that.” 

“Then I’ll say I made you call me by my actual fucking name,” Klaus shrugged. “Sometimes the truth works.” 

“Only sometimes?” Dave asked. 

“Sometimes Pogo’s an asshole.”

Dave snorted in laughter. “Yeah, okay. That’s true.” 

“And he’s so fucking loyal to the king I don’t think any form of disrespect shown to  _ me,  _ who no one really likes that much will piss him off too much,” Klaus added and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Dave said. “I mean- that no one likes you,” he quickly clarified when Klaus quirked an eyebrow. 

“Eh,” Klaus shrugged. “Maybe some of the siblings.” Dave looked away from him. “Speaking of, I’m going to find Ben, do you have to come with me?” 

“Everywhere,” Dave said with a nod. 

“Oh god,” Klaus groaned and pushed off the doorframe. “However long this is gonna be going on is gonna  _ suuuuck.” _

  
  


Klaus’ day guard was boring. He wanted to laugh, he wanted to joke, but no. His day guard had a stick up his ass and was way too invested in making sure Klaus didn’t get a scratch on his watch. 

“Is there anything you  _ will _ let me do?” Klaus whined at the end of the afternoon. He’d spent the last hour suggesting things he’d do to pass the time until the end of Liam’s shift. 

“Have you considered spending some time in the library, Your Highness?” Liam said. 

Klaus scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Why are you my guard and not Ben’s?” he asked. “Pogo sure must have it out for me.” 

“I could not say, Your Highness.” 

“Okay, you don’t have to say  _ Your Highness,” _ Klaus groaned. “I fucking hate that.” 

“I’m afraid I have to, Your Highness.” 

Klaus turned to glare at him, and decided to just go back to his room. He could wait until it was dark and go do something else when Dave or one of the other guards took over. It was getting to be late afternoon anyway, he could sleep for a few hours then be rested so he could actually do things that night. 

  
  


When he woke back up, Dave was outside his door. The rest of the time he was awake was spent talking and laughing with Dave. 

  
  


Klaus was falling. He was falling and there were people screaming at him but he didn’t know who they were or what they wanted him to do. They were all screaming  _ stop, stop, help, stop _ but he didn’t know what to stop or how to help them, and then he couldn’t breath and faces were pressing in close to him, and he was screaming. 

Someone was yelling his name, “Klaus! Klaus! Klaus!” And he knew that voice but he didn’t know where it was from. Someone touched him. He didn’t know how, none of the terrifying faces had bodies, they shouldn’t have been able to touch him. It was shaking him, he-

He sat up, arms flailing around him. He hit something, and he simultaneously turned to look at whatever it was and scramble in the opposite direction. He pushed himself back so far he reached the end of whatever he was sitting on- looking around he realized it was his bed- and almost toppled to the floor. He looked around, trying to identify whatever he hit, but he wasn’t processing anything he saw. He just tried to breathe. 

“Come on, you’re okay. Come on, Klaus,” he could hear distantly but he didn’t know where it was coming from. “Breathe, in and out. Come on, Klaus, in and out.” He could hear clearer now. He was processing the things he could see around him, too. He could see his room, the mirror and the desk and the dim light filtering in through the window. He could see the door was open and a guard’s staff on the floor near the entrance. He could see Dave next to the best on the side where Klaus had hit something. Oh no, did he hit Dave? He was pretty sure he hit Dave. 

“Sorry,” he wheezed through his panic. “I’m sorry.” 

“No, no,” Dave insisted quickly. “It’s okay. It was just a dream, you’re okay.” Klaus nodded, but he had trouble believing Dave’s words when his eyes started to prickle and sting and his heartbeat was pounding in his ears. He slowly reached out for him, but Klaus jerked back so hard he almost fell off the bed again. 

“Don’t touch me,” he snapped before he could stop himself. Dave held his hands up by his head with an understanding expression in a way that clearly said  _ ‘sorry, I won’t do it again’ _ . “Sorry, sorry,” Klaus cried and finally broke down. He curled in on himself, pulling his knees up to his chest and let himself cry. 

“No, it’s okay,” Dave said. “I didn’t know what to do- I tried the wrong thing.” Klaus heard some shuffling and looked up and watched Dave walk across the room and pick his staff back up. “Are you okay if I close the door? For the purpose of guarding it’ll be easier without the distraction when anyone could walk in.” 

“Okay, whatever,” Klaus said meekly. Dave nodded and slowly walked the rest of the way to the door. He quickly shut it and walked back to the side of the bed, leaving a gap between him and the bed. 

“Sorry, if Pogo found out I left such an open opportunity for any attacker I’d be out of a job,” he explained softly. 

“Does he really think something like that is gonna happen?” Klaus asked weakly. 

“I don’t know what he thinks,” Dave replied. “I don’t know if you noticed, but he doesn’t really share much.” 

Klaus laughed lightly and looked up at him, which resulted in tense eye contact. “No, he really doesn’t.” 

Neither of them looked away as Dave continued. “I think he’s doing whatever he can to make the king happy. He seems convinced something bad is coming and wants to protect you guys.” 

Klaus scoffed and shook his head, finally looking away. “He doesn’t give a shit about us. He tried to use us all when we were younger. He stopped caring about us when it was clear we didn’t wanna play his game.” He rolled his eyes and looked back at Dave. “He doesn’t seem so mad since Luther decided to stick around, but eventually even he gave up. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went out and married into a new family with lots of kids and tried to get them to do his bullshit for him.” 

“Fuck,” Dave breathed out. “You really think he’d do that?” 

“Why do you think there are so many of us?” Klaus asked, laughing bitterly. “The more kids he somehow ended up with the better chance he could get some who would do what he wanted, who he could use as pawns in his game.” 

“What did he want, though?” Dave asked carefully. 

“Control,” Klaus said. “I don’t know what he wanted to do with it, but he just wanted to control everything. And he was gonna use us to get it until we made it clear we wouldn’t do what he wanted, so now he doesn’t care. Anything could happen to us and I’d be surprised if he showed any emotion at all.” 

“I’m sorry,” Dave said softly. “Couldn’t have been an easy childhood.” 

“I learned about things the bravest soldiers don’t have to worry about,” Klaus said, staring distractedly at the floor. “He didn’t shy away from anything. Fucked us all up.” Instead of saying anything, Dave just reached over and carefully took Klaus’ hand in his own. He squeezed once before standing up and slowly walking to the door. 

As he put his hand on the handle, before he pulled the door open, he turned back to Klaus. “Get some sleep, it’s still pretty early,” he said softly. Then he left. 

As if Klaus could go back to sleep after Dave looked at him like that. 

  
  


Klaus was practically sprinting down the halls to get to his room. Whether it was because he would be away from Liam or just moving after a long, silent dinner with the king and his siblings. No talking, no fidgeting, no moving; now Klaus just wanted to wander. 

He turned the final corner and could see Dave waiting by the door, and let out a sigh of relief. Liam was only getting more and more strict as time passed, but he knew Dave would let him out for a walk. 

“He’s your problem now,” Klaus heard Liam mutter as he walked into his room. He tipped his head back and cackled before he could think better of it. 

“It won’t be a problem,” Dave said, and when Klaus turned around he saw a dry smile on Dave’s face. Liam looked between the two of them warily before turning and walking off without another word. 

“Oh my god, he’s so fucking boring,” Klaus sighed dramatically, not caring that he was probably still in ear shot. 

“You know he can hear you, right?” he deadpanned. 

“Good, maybe then he’ll  _ take the stick out of his ass,” _ he said in response. 

“Klaus,” Dave hissed halfheartedly. 

“What? Maybe then he’ll let me do something,” he countered with a shrug, spinning on the balls of his feet to enter his room. He changed into his more casual shirt and pants and checked his hair in the mirror before going back to talk to Dave. 

“Hi,” he said and leaned against the doorframe. 

“Hey,” Dave said, turning to look at him. “Is he really that bad?” 

“Dave, he wouldn’t let me do  _ anything,” _ Klaus complained. “Can I go do something now?” 

“If I say no will you listen?” Dave sighed, but the look on his face told Klaus he already knew the answer. 

“No,” Klaus said simply and took the full step out of the doorway, pulling the door shut behind him. 

“Can we at least go somewhere relatively safe?” Dave called as they started walking down the corridor. 

“If you tell me to go to the library I’m going to scream.” 

“Did he suggest that earlier?” Dave asked incredulously as they walked. 

“Multiple times,” Klaus groaned. 

“I think I know a place,” Dave smirked. “Pretty much nothing happens there but it’s still on the grounds. Guards stationed there are kind of known for slacking off.” 

“Oh, yeah?” Klaus asked, looking over at Dave curiously. 

“Yeah.” 

“Where is it?” 

“This way,” Dave said and gestured with his chin toward another corridor, which they then turned down. “You’ll probably figure it out before we get there, though.” 

Klaus hummed and tapped a finger on his chin in exaggerated thought. “Somewhere I know. What could it be.” Dave didn’t answer, just chuckled. 

He led him down a familiar path through some hallways and around a few corners. It took him until he pointed toward a set of plain double doors that only led to two places; a small extension building on the edge of the palace grounds, and the small courtyard next to it. A smile grew on his lips as he realized. 

“Aww,” he jokingly cooed. “Davey, are we going back to where we met?” 

_ “Maybe,”  _ Dave said, stretching it out.

“I haven’t been here in so long,” Klaus said. “Pogo found out it was my hiding spot.” 

“Oh?” Dave questioned, turning around and giving him a knowing look. “And how did that happen?” 

“No idea,” Klaus hummed dismissively, but they still smiled at each other. 

They walked the rest of the way to the courtyard silently. Klaus let out a soft chuckle when they walked through the entrance way he’d walked through to meet Dave. He spun around as he walked through the courtyard to the bench, looking to see how much had changed. 

“If I’d known we were coming out here I would’ve brought my sketchbook,” he said, looking up at the sky from the bench. 

“For old time’s sake?” Dave asked as he stood next to him in the same position he used to when he was guarding out here. 

Klaus smiled. “For old time’s sake.” 

Dave looked around the courtyard, causing Klaus to look  _ really _ around for the first time since they’d gotten there as well. Whatever guard was on duty had actually decided to slack off, leaving the courtyard without a guard. They must have figured nothing drastic would happen there, and if it wasn’t for the fact that Dave seemed to be feeling nostalgic they probably would have been right. 

“Someone isn’t nearly as dedicated as you were,” Klaus said when he looked back at Dave. 

“I’ve been told few are,” Dave responded softly. 

“Oh?” Klaus teased. “Who said that? It’s gonna go to your ego.” 

“A few people,” Dave said and leaned toward Klaus the tiniest bit. “You, for starters, multiple times.” Klaus scoffed and jokingly brushed the comment off. “Pogo, the person who matters most, I’d say.” 

“And what makes you say that?” Klaus asked. 

“Well,” Dave started, tilting his head to one side with an exaggerated deliberating expression. “He  _ is _ the head of the royal guard, which I happen to be a member of. Which makes him in charge of me and everything I do while I’m here.” 

“Yeah, I guess his opinion does matter a little bit,” Klaus admitted lightly, which finally made Dave break character and laugh. It wasn’t long before Klaus was laughing himself, leaning in toward Dave as he did so. They were still laughing a few moments later when the guard returned to his position. 

“Oh, I umm-” he started, making Klaus and Dave jerk apart and turn to look at him. The guard’s eyes bulged when he saw people in the courtyard, and Klaus could see the exact moment he recognized him. The color drained from his face and he opened and shut his mouth a few times without saying anything. “Oh, I’m so sorry. If I had known you were coming here, Your Hi-”

“If you call me,  _ Your Highness _ I will personally go to Pogo and tell him you left your post,” Klays cut him off severely, eyes losing the softness they had just had with Dave. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, Your-” he clicked his mouth shut before he could finish. “I will- I will do my best to-” 

“Relax, Hunter,” Dave laughed before the guard had to finish. “Klaus just doesn’t like the title.He’s not going to report you.” 

“But-” 

“Look, just stay in the area and when we leave I’ll let you know so you can come back to your post, okay?” Dave offered lightly. 

“A- are you sure?” the other guard asked, looking between the two of them. 

“Yes, now go,” Dave dismissed easily. “I’ll find you.” The guard nodded and turned on the balls of his feet and quickly scampered away from the courtyard. 

Dave turned to Klaus, who looked up at him again. “You didn’t have to scare the shit out of him, you know?” he asked. “He’s nervous and paranoid enough as it is.”

Klaus shrugged. “Sometimes it’s the only thing that works.” Dave raised an eyebrow. Klaus cracked a small smile and continued. “And sometimes I’m just an asshole. Can’t stop it.” Dave rolled his eyes but said nothing else about it. 

“Did you find a new hiding place?” he asked instead. 

Klaus laughed and looked straight ahead of him. “No. I tried a few different places, but none of them were ever as good.” 

“Well,” Dave said, slowly. Meaningfully. “Whatever you did that made Pogo figure out you liked this place, I hope it was worth it.” 

Klaus looked back at him, all joking gone from his expression. “It was.” 

  
  


They started walking to the courtyard most nights. They’d sit and talk, dismissing whichever guard was stationed there for the night, until Klaus started yawning and nodding off. 

  
  


One night, Klaus was talking to Dave, leaning against the doorframe. They’d been laughing, talking about something another guard did or something they overheard, until they went quiet and just looked at each other. 

“You’re incredible, you know that?” Dave said softly, looking at Klaus with an equally soft expression. 

“Nah,” Klaus dismissed with a laugh. “Not really.” 

“I’m serious,” Dave said, and he looked like he meant it. “Over the years, you…” He trailed off and shook his head. 

“Aww, you noticed me Davey?” Klaus teased with a smile, but his heart was pounding at the idea. 

Dave leaned in toward him, just a little bit. Then he slowly lifted his hand and rested it on Klaus’ cheek, all without breaking eye contact. When his hand touched his cheek, Klaus could feel the hitch in his own breath. “Of course I did,” Dave whispered. 

Klaus swallowed as he leaned in himself. “I noticed you too,” he admitted. 

And then Dave was leaning in all the way, slowly to give Klaus time to pull away if he wanted. As if he would ever want to. 

Then he was kissing him. 

Klaus wasn’t really sure what to do at first. It wasn’t that he hadn’t kissed anyone before, but this was different. Dave was being careful and patient, and Klaus hadn’t ever really had that before. He was used to people kissing him to prove a point; that they could, that Klaus would kiss anyone, that he was the “easy” prince. But not Dave. Dave was kissing him differently. 

As Dave leaned back and broke off the kiss, Klaus realized it was because he meant it. 

He watched Dave open his eyes just a crack and look at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but Klaus could feel it more than see it since they were still pressed so close together. He felt him close his mouth again before he said anything. Klaus didn’t look away as he moved his hand up so he was holding the back of Dave’s neck with the tips of his fingers in his hair, and pulled him back into another kiss. 

Dave came back in easily and Klaus curled his fingers in his hair. This kiss was even more wanting than the first. It was more heated, less meeting of their lips and more of them working and sliding together. Klaus took a careful, suggestive step back through the doorway, his hand not leaving Dave’s skin. Dave followed easily, the arm not reaching up to Klaus’ face winding around his waist. Klaus continued walking backward, and once they were through the doorway Dave pushed the door shut behind them. 

  
  


Klaus woke up to a single candle burning across the room and an arm around his shoulders. He was lying on his side with his chest and stomach pressed against the side of whoever’s arm was around him. 

His eyes flew open when he remembered that person was Dave. 

Dave who was already looking down at him. “Hi,” he whispered when he saw he was awake. He started tracing patterns on Klaus’ skin. 

“Hello,” Klaus said, voice rough with sleep. “Stronger than I am, didn’t fall asleep?” he asked. 

Dave chuckled and shook his head lightly. “Used to working at night, is more like it.” 

Klaus hummed and stretched as best he could in his position, which mostly resulted in him arching his back so his chest was pressed against Dave harder than before and his arm uncurling and stretching over Dave’s bare stomach. He left it there as he relaxed again. Dave leaned over under Klaus’ weight and pressed a soft kiss to the culs on the top of his head. 

“How long has it been?” Klaus asked when Dave didn’t say anything. 

“A few hours,” he answered. “It’s still early. Liam won’t be here for a while.” 

Klaus snuggled in closer to him with a smile. “Trying not to get caught slacking off, huh?” 

“Well,” Dave said carefully, but still with a hint of laughter. “I happen to think I can do my job even better right here.” 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Dave confirmed. “My job is watching over you, making sure nothing happens to you. Can’t do that nearly as well with you on the other side of the door from me.” 

“You just like looking at me,” Klaus teased. 

“Yeah, it could be that, too,” Dave admitted. Klaus giggled against Dave’s side and he pulled him closer. “In my defense, though, looking at you has always been very nice.” 

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” 

“Yeah, looking at you isn’t too bad either,” Klaus said around a yawn. He felt his eyelids growing heavy again as his mind and body began to drift back to sleep. He didn’t want to, though. He wanted this time with Dave. 

Dave, who could tell and started running his hand up and down Klaus’ arm in a comforting gesture. “Go back to sleep,” he said softly. “I’ll be up for a while still.” 

“Oh yeah?” Klaus asked drowsily as he let his eyes close again. “You gonna protect me?” 

“Yeah. Always.” 

**Author's Note:**

> i am taking "always" back from jk r*wling because i used it in a sweet way and she used it in a fucking creepy way and doesnt deserve it  
> come talk to me about tua on tumblr @ lastyoungrene-gay-de  
> also as i was writing this my brain didn't stop here so there's more in my head so there's a chance i'll continue this at some point but no promises


End file.
